Palaye Royale – Boom Boom Room (Side B)

Sumerian

A logical follow up to Side A, Palaye Royale‘s Boom Boom Room (Side B) is exactly that, the other side of the album that didn’t quite make it to the first cut, but is still worth a listen. I find it is quite a mirror image to the first side, with the first four or so tracks being uplifting and fast, still with the ever-present angsty lyrics about love, life and society.These themes are cut into and slowed down by a more melancholy track, one designed to not let you forget that “life is not just an explosion of awesome events”, as my theatre teacher once said; but there are also slower, harder times to be encountered.

The first track, “Death Dance”, sets off this half of the album quite similarly to the first on Side A, with a kind of nodalong or mosh as you choose, clapping-in-the-background track about being a bit of a wallflower among the young, wild party life. “I can’t take it” and repetitions of “no no no” remind us that Palaye Royale are delicate flowers that aren’t quite made for all this substance abuse (we still love them for it). This track takes in the recurring narrative that there is an added reflection on the physical urges as well as insecurities that drive our modern society. I don’t really appreciate such a derogatory term as “whore” to illustrate the point though. I get the point, but I don’t think that it needs to be quite so harsh with a slur that has so much depth and meanness behind it in so many contexts.

Aaaaaand here is the requisite unrequited love song set off with “I fell in love with my best friend”. Well,we all know where this story of teenage world-ending heartbreak is going — and that’s what’s genius about the obviousness of this track. “It’s just me and my misery”; haven’t we all been there, just a heartbroken teen alone against the world in the comfort of our first-world bedroom? Yup.

“You’ll Be Fine”. Won’t we all? Parents and a mysterious “her” dominate this track and its classic line for a title, a universal truth that we’ve all been told, and that is true for most of us. I have to admit the scratchy “la la la” to grating guitars goes straight to my happily emo part in the best of ways. This album is growing on me more and more — if anything, a bit more than Side A, which I think I didn’t really take time to appreciate.

Anyone else noticing a recurring theme of a sleeping “you” or “her”? I am. “Dying In A Hot Tub” gives me strong Black Parade vibes, between the beeping heart monitor and the news that you, or someone, is dead, not to mention dying with your friends. The hot tub element just adds to the Palaye Royale scene of an out-of-hand party and drugs. Death dominates this track, and the bridge becomes very otherworldly, but also somehow very relatable.

“Mrs. Infamous” is another track that seems ready to be inscribed into the list of edgy alternative teen anthems of love of a misunderstood boy that is a tad more violent than expected. Be ready! He’s coming for you. The vocals on this track remind me of Remington Leith’s vocals on the American Satan soundtrack, which was a far swing from the usual happy, swing-along to depressing circus music, somewhere between the usual pop and punk-like Palaye Royale vibe in a more twisted, damaged scream. Obviously Remington’s voice is one that is instantly recognisable in its singularity, opposing the smoother voice of a lot of conventional pop singers — but it still stands out, even in an alternative scene. It’s remarkable that it works in both registers, but I’d be interested to hear more of it in a less clean context too.

“Cadillac hearse” is a good metaphor for America for right now from these Canadian lads on “Hospital Beds”, a track that’ll get your alternative teen enthusiastically plastering its lyrics all over their Instagram posts (because MySpace is no more). I’m getting a bit of a very early Panic! At The Disco cheery marching band vibe from “Love The Void”, and I thought that a track entitled “The Boom” would be a bit more energetic in the beginning, but it’s caught me by surprise with some nostalgic, heartstring-wrenching piano and a voiceover about dreams. I haven’t yet figured out where this voice comes from, but it sounds like one from a 1930s American movie. Then the dreams turns into a nightmare just for the few last seconds, and there is a note to end on, as an icy hand runs down your spine and makes you very aware of the silence it leaves.

Boom Boom Room (Side B) feels like a young band finding their own sound and place. They’ve taken a lot from the well-established groups that they’ve grown up with and mixed it in with their own overloaded creativity. They’ve given us another classic coming of age scene album that some may cringe at, but we’ll hold dear in our hearts, and will regard as one of the albums that defined us in our formative years.

This is very much a teenage album to me, from a band just coming out of the other side of adulthood and discovering what all that means, and still drawing heavy influences from their younger experiences and interests. I can hear the emo scene of the 2000s (My Chemical Romance, I’m looking at you) in this album and its angst. Some may look on this condescendingly with an air of superiority, but this just brings this record that much closer to me, as that’s a part of who I am too. Sure, I may come across a bit critical about this album and its simplicity, but do I want anything else from Palaye Royale? No I don’t, because I love it and I’m here for it 100%.

Sometimes simplicity is the best answer, partly because it’s tried and tested and it sells. But it doesn’t just sell; this is the kind of album that wants to be, and nearly is, a record that’ll stay with you your whole life in a Black Parade style. Maybe as I listen to it more it’ll become that for me, or maybe it’ll be one of Palaye Royale’s next LPs that does that — but without a doubt, this band isn’t going to be forgotten by me. They have really come to represent the way I feel about all this music scene.

Here is a modern MCR, and while they aren’t on that big a scale yet, I think they could have what it takes to get there. They’ve got down those little bits and bobs you need to tap into the hearts of the edgy, angsty, always on the sidelines teen. That’s how you can become one of the groups that saves lives and makes sense to those people always, but will forever leave mainstream people wondering what’s wrong with those kids and their bands that revel in the semi-darkness of their bedrooms as they discover real life.

Palaye Royale is the type of band that’ll give them those albums, and play those concerts that’ll keep them going. They’ll keep reminding us that there is always a place to call home, even if it is a sweaty moshpit filled with strangers that all adore these people with guitars and voices that capture the mood of our generation.

-Frankie Harmonia-